Trolley Museum of New York in Kingston, New York

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Kingston, New York · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Trolley and streetcar museumTrain ridesOpen Saturdays and Sundays, 12 to 5 pm, from May 9, 2026

Founded in Brooklyn in 1955 and settled on Kingston's Rondout waterfront since 1983, the Trolley Museum of New York preserves and runs historic streetcars, alongside a remarkable lineup of New York subway cars.

  • Founded in Brooklyn in 1955
  • On the Rondout waterfront since 1983
  • Trolley rides on weekends
  • Classic New York subway cars
  • Streetcars from Oslo, Brussels and Hamburg
  • All volunteer run

Trolley Museum of New York at a glance

Hours
Saturdays and Sundays, 12 pm to 5 pm, from opening day May 9, 2026
Admission
Not posted on the museum's site; call (845) 331-3399
Train rides
Short trolley excursions on weekends in season
Plan for
About 1.5 to 2 hours
Best for
Families with young kids, transit fans and subway buffs
Best ages
Toddlers to age 12

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Trolley Museum of New York? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Kingston.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

From scattered Brooklyn trolleys to a home on the Rondout

The Trolley Museum of New York began in Brooklyn in 1955, when Everett A. White and a group of volunteers set out to save the fast-disappearing history of rail transit. They started with four trolleys, among them a Brill car from Atlantic City and a Brooklyn PCC. Finding a permanent home was the hard part, and for years the cars were parked wherever the group could find space around New York City, from Staten Island to Coney Island.

Then came a setback that nearly ended the effort: in Philadelphia, trolleys that had been donated to the museum were scrapped. The news of that loss traveled to Kingston, and it opened a door. In 1983 the museum found a home on the city's Rondout Waterfront. It began there with a single gasoline-powered car, then added more trolleys and built a trolley barn. Travel listings note that the museum leases roughly a mile and a half of former Ulster and Delaware Railroad right of way.

The volunteers have had to rebuild more than once. A fire in 1991 did serious damage, and Hurricane Sandy brought destruction to the waterfront site. Each time, the museum says, its volunteers refused to quit, and that persistence is the reason the cars still run today.

The museum is a New York State chartered nonprofit educational organization and an official Path Through History site. It is open to the public on a seasonal schedule, but restoration work goes on year round.

Streetcars from three continents and the cars New Yorkers rode

The collection reads like a tour of the world's transit systems. Streetcars include Oslo, Norway Tram #3, Brussels Trolley Car No. 1504, Hamburg Car No. 3584, Gothenburg, Sweden Car 79, Johnstown Traction Company Trolley No. 358, Brill Car No. 120, Boston PCC 3204 and Brooklyn and Queens Transit PCC No. 1000.

New Yorkers will recognize the subway equipment: an IRT Lo-V car No. 5600, a BRT Q car No. 1602A, an IND R-4 car No. 825, a New York City Transit R-16 car 6398, plus a PATH PA-1 car 143 and an Atlanta MARTA car No. 510. Work equipment includes an IND flat car, an IND drill car and Whitcomb diesel-electric locomotive No. 9, and a few buses from New York City, Massachusetts and Vermont round things out. On weekends in season, visitors can take short trolley excursions along the waterfront.

Don’t miss

  1. A trolley ride on the waterfrontShort weekend excursions along the museum's line are the best way to understand how a streetcar actually feels.
  2. Oslo, Norway Tram #3One of several European streetcars in the collection, alongside cars from Brussels, Hamburg and Gothenburg.
  3. IRT Lo-V subway car No. 5600A classic early New York subway car, part of a lineup that spans the IRT, BRT and IND systems.
  4. Brooklyn and Queens Transit PCC No. 1000A Brooklyn PCC streetcar, a fitting link to the museum's Brooklyn beginnings.
  5. Whitcomb locomotive No. 9A small diesel-electric work locomotive that shows the less glamorous side of keeping a rail line running.

Ride a trolley, then walk through the subway

For children, the trolley ride is the main event: a real historic streetcar rolling along the waterfront. Back at the museum, kids who ride the subway at home can compare the old IRT, BRT and IND cars with the trains they know, and spot the differences between the European trams and the American streetcars.

The Rondout waterfront makes the trip easy to stretch into a full afternoon, and weekend hours from noon to 5 pm work well around nap schedules.

Plan your visit: tips for Trolley Museum of New York

  • From the Thruway, take Exit 19 and follow signs for the Historic Rondout Waterfront; the museum is a quarter mile down East Strand on the left.
  • Without a car, take Metro-North to Poughkeepsie and transfer to UCAT, checking schedules first.
  • Kingston is about 2 hours from Manhattan and 1 hour from Albany.
  • Call ahead late in the season to confirm the museum is still running weekends.

Volunteers who never gave up

The Trolley Museum of New York is volunteer operated, from its board, led by president Mark Wolodarsky, to the mechanics who restore the cars. The museum credits those volunteers with carrying it through a 1991 fire and Hurricane Sandy. Email info@tmny.org or call (845) 331-3399 to ask about volunteering, membership or donations.

More rail rides around Kingston

The Catskill Mountain Railroad is only about 2 miles away, so a trolley ride and a train ride fit easily into one day. The Empire State Railway Museum in Phoenicia is about 20 miles west, and the Delaware and Ulster Railroad is about 30 miles off. For more ideas, see New York's train museums.

Every train museum in New York

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor view from inside a dark tunnel looking out at a sunny beach and cliffs
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

This museum keeps old New York subway cars, trains that spent their working lives running through dark tunnels under the city. My kids always hold their breath at the tunnel page in our book, where everything goes dark and then a big bright light bursts in and everyone cheers. You can find more picture books for little rail fans on our train books for toddlers list.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Trolley Museum of New York?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Trolley Museum of New York: 20 questions answered

Where is the Trolley Museum of New York?

The Trolley Museum of New York is at 89 East Strand Street, Kingston, New York 12401, on the historic Rondout Waterfront. From the Thruway, take Exit 19, follow signs for the Historic Rondout Waterfront and Urban Cultural Park, go to the end of Broadway, turn left, and find the museum a quarter mile down East Strand on the left.

What are the Trolley Museum of New York hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 5 pm during its season, which opened on May 9, 2026. The site does not post a closing date for the season, so call (845) 331-3399 or check tmny.org before visiting in the fall.

How much are Trolley Museum of New York tickets?

The museum's website does not post ticket prices. Call (845) 331-3399 or email info@tmny.org to ask about current admission and trolley ride fares before you go. As a volunteer-run nonprofit, it also welcomes donations from visitors.

Can you ride a trolley at the Trolley Museum of New York?

Yes. The museum runs seasonal weekend operations that include short trolley excursions, and Ulster County tourism highlights the chance to ride historic trolleys. The museum leases about a mile and a half of former Ulster and Delaware Railroad right of way along the waterfront.

Does the Trolley Museum of New York offer tours?

The museum does not post a formal tour program online. Volunteers are on hand during weekend hours from 12 to 5 pm to show visitors the collection and run trolley excursions. For a group visit or special tour, call (845) 331-3399 or email info@tmny.org ahead of time.

When was the Trolley Museum of New York founded?

The Trolley Museum of New York was founded in Brooklyn in 1955 by Everett A. White and a group of volunteers. It started with four trolleys, including a Brill car from Atlantic City and a Brooklyn PCC, and moved to Kingston's Rondout Waterfront in 1983.

Why is the Trolley Museum of New York in Kingston?

For years the museum's trolleys were scattered around New York City. After donated trolleys were scrapped in Philadelphia, word of the loss reached Kingston, and in 1983 the museum found a permanent home on the Rondout Waterfront. It started there with one gasoline-powered car and later built a trolley barn.

What trolleys are at the Trolley Museum of New York?

Streetcars include Oslo, Norway Tram #3, Brussels car No. 1504, Hamburg car No. 3584, Gothenburg, Sweden car 79, Johnstown Traction Company No. 358, Brill car No. 120, Boston PCC 3204 and Brooklyn and Queens Transit PCC No. 1000. The museum lists its full collection on tmny.org.

Does the Trolley Museum of New York have subway cars?

Yes. The collection includes an IRT Lo-V car No. 5600, a BRT Q car No. 1602A, an IND R-4 car No. 825 and a New York City Transit R-16 car 6398, plus a PATH PA-1 car 143 and an Atlanta MARTA car No. 510. It also has IND work cars and a Whitcomb diesel-electric locomotive.

Is the Trolley Museum of New York good for toddlers?

Yes. A short trolley ride is a good fit for small children, and the weekend hours from noon to 5 pm make it easy to plan around naps. Kids who know today's subway often enjoy seeing older subway cars too. Ask volunteers which cars are open to step into on your visit.

How long should I spend at the Trolley Museum of New York?

Plan about an hour and a half to two hours to ride a trolley and look over the streetcars and subway cars. Because the museum sits on the Rondout Waterfront, many families add time to walk the area or visit the nearby Catskill Mountain Railroad, about 2 miles away.

Can I get to the Trolley Museum of New York by public transit?

Yes. The museum suggests taking Metro-North to Poughkeepsie and transferring to UCAT, Ulster County's bus service. Check both schedules before you travel. By car, Kingston is about 2 hours from Manhattan and about 1 hour from Albany.

What happened to the Trolley Museum of New York in Hurricane Sandy?

The museum says Hurricane Sandy caused destruction at its waterfront site, years after a devastating fire in 1991. In both cases its volunteers kept working, and the museum credits their dedication with bringing it to where it is today.

Who runs the Trolley Museum of New York?

The museum is a volunteer-operated, New York State chartered nonprofit educational organization. Its board is led by president Mark Wolodarsky, with vice president Jim Riley, secretary Nick Ramirez and chief mechanical officer Harry Greenblatt, along with a group of trustees.

Is the Trolley Museum of New York open in winter?

The museum is open to the public on a seasonal schedule, with 2026 hours starting May 9 on weekends from noon to 5 pm. Volunteer preservation work continues year round, but public hours are seasonal. Call (845) 331-3399 to check before a late season or winter visit.

What are Trolley Museum of New York reviews like?

Travel listings describe it as a volunteer-run trolley and transit museum on Kingston's historic Rondout waterfront that preserves and operates streetcars and subway cars. For current reviews and photos, look at major review sites and the museum's Facebook and Instagram pages, both under trolleymuseumny.

Where can I see photos of the Trolley Museum of New York?

The museum's collection page on tmny.org has a page for each car, and its Facebook and Instagram accounts, both named trolleymuseumny, share photos of rides and restoration work. The museum's about page includes a 1957 photo of founder Everett White operating car 250.

Are there buses at the Trolley Museum of New York?

Yes. Along with trolleys and subway cars, the collection includes a Pioneer Valley Transit Authority bus 1070, a New York City Transit bus 4901 and a Chittenden County Transportation Authority, now Green Mountain Transit, bus 702. The museum also teases something new coming soon on its collection page.

How can I volunteer at the Trolley Museum of New York?

The museum runs entirely on volunteers, who operate trolleys, restore cars and welcome visitors. Its preservation work goes on year round. Email info@tmny.org or call (845) 331-3399 to ask about volunteering, membership or making a donation.

What is near the Trolley Museum of New York?

The Catskill Mountain Railroad is about 2 miles away in Kingston, and the Hyde Park railroad station museum is about 10 miles. The Empire State Railway Museum in Phoenicia is about 20 miles west, and the Delaware and Ulster Railroad in Arkville is about 30 miles away.

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